​Hepatitis C

The symptoms of Hepatitis C (HCV) can be similar to Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B; however Hepatitis C is much more chronic than A and B and may result in hampering your or your child’s liver. Hepatitis C is usually contracted through coming in contact with an affected person’s blood or body fluids. However, in children and babies, it usually is transmitted at the time of birth if the child’s mother has a Hepatitis C infection. Hepatitis C is much less common is children as compared to adults.

Chronic Hepatitis C also leads to liver cancer. Rarely, people living with an infected person can contract HCV by sharing items that might contain that person's blood, such as razors, toothbrushes, or scissors.

Most babies are infected with Hepatitis C at birth which is called vertical transmission of infection (from mother to child). If a mother has HCV, her child has a 1 in 20 chance of becoming infected at birth. The higher the viral load in the mother, the higher the risk of infection.